I for one think that this whole "money cannot buy happiness " thing is, to a certain extent, b%$ s*&^.

Money cannoyt buy love. At least not genuine love, that is for sure.

However, let's see, it can buy great food, any and all supplements you want and need (some of which may normally be beyond your means), it can help reduce stress in your life because you dont have to worry about bills, you can go to whatever gym you want because you can afford the membership, you can buy wheels like a hybrid that is environmentally more friendly, you can have all the relaxation massages you need, you can go on any vacation you want for some peace and relaxation, you dont have to worry about how you are going to pay next month;s bills, you can come on the vegan vacation for sure, etc . etc.

all of the above would greatly reduce one's stress and allow a person to stay healthy and fit all year round. That would, it seems to me, make me very happy.

Most importantly, though, money would allow me to donate large sums to my favourite causes and charities, and allow me to pick up and leave, on a moment's notice, when an animal emergency happens at another place in the world, without worrying about how I am going to obtain the finances to finance the rescue mission. For example, I wanted so badly, along with skinnydipper, to go to new orleans to feed the starving animals still wandering the streets, near death. However, putting aside the fact that new orleans has now banned outside rescue volunteers and left the animals still surviving to starveto death (and, by the way, I hope you all plcaed your calls in to the governor as I had posted in the emergency post) dan and I wanted to go there but I couldnt because the freakin ticket to fly from toronto to new orleans would cost $1000 bucks, and I have no way of getting my hands on that kind of money at the moment.

so, instead, I am here, sitting (or should I say trapped) in my damn apartment while I could, if I had the money, be rescuing animals which would make me ver, very, very, very happy. again, it all boils down to cash doesnt it. So we have, in other words, another example of how money CAN buy me happiness.

and there are many other ways in which money can buy you happiness. It certainly can give you the freedom to pursue your goals (like climbing everest for the animals which I cannot due because -- again -- lack of money), can buy you peace of mind, good health care (whether naturapathic, homeopathic, traditonal or whatever), relaxation and stress reduction, all of which contribute to a feeling of happiness.

so i think in short that money can sure go a long way in buying happiness.

Up until I came back to school full time, I had money of my own - at least enough to never worry about paying the bills and stil have some to use for my own choices. Not enough to do ANYTHING, but enough to do some things.....and I worried less. A lot less. Which translated into being happier because I was more able to enjoy things in my life without worry about how to pay for them.
So yeah - as a stress reliever, money can equate to happiness!

_________________Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams,
telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems.

Money can contribute to happiness, by providing security, comfort, tools used to attain goals, or power... and it's difficult to be happy when there's not enough money for basics like food and shelter... but money does not guarantee happiness at all. I've known too many people who are wealthy and miserable to think that happiness can be bought.

compassionategirl wrote:

so, instead, I am here, sitting (or should I say trapped) in my damn apartment while I could, if I had the money, be rescuing animals which would make me ver, very, very, very happy. again, it all boils down to cash doesnt it.

I think one of the biggest keys to happiness is focusing on what you do have and can do, rather than what you don't have and can't do.

You may feel like you're trapped in your apartment, but you have an apartment, which is more than some have. You may not have the resources right now to travel anywhere you want anytime you want to rescue animals personally, but that doesn't mean you can't make a tremendous difference from where you are. You have a computer and internet access, and you use it to educate and influence others to be more compassionate towards animals every day. You've influenced me - and I know you've influenced many others. That's something to be proud of - and happy about.

i had a period where i was making a lot of money, probably had $1500 a week spoare after paying rent/food etc... i was pretty happy, flying overseas to holiday when other people would drive to a beach...ludicrous spending whenver i wanted.

cash = happiness to a certain point definitely, same as poverty = unhappy.

Even if people earn lot's of money to buy all the things you want, and do all the things you want to do, they may be happy in that sense. But how many people are truly happy in the way in that they have earnt that money? Do they really enjoy their jobs? Are they happy with the long hours and stress that go hand in hand with most, but admittedly not all, well paid jobs? Not seeing your family and loved ones as often as you want because you are in office for 12-14 hours a day. Working so hard so your health suffers.....

Some of the world's happiest people also happen to be amongst the world's poorest people.

Even if people earn lot's of money to buy all the things you want, and do all the things you want to do, they may be happy in that sense. But how many people are truly happy in the way in that they have earnt that money?

Do they really enjoy their jobs?

Are they happy with the long hours and stress that go hand in hand with most, but admittedly not all, well paid jobs?

Not seeing your family and loved ones as often as you want because you are in office for 12-14 hours a day. Working so hard so your health suffers.....

Some of the world's happiest people also happen to be amongst the world's poorest people.

What price happiness? The answer is not provided by bank notes.

if someone is happy because of their acheivements and measure their success/acheivements fiscally what then?

1 - They are happy.
2 - I didn't make it sound like that at all. I said people may be unhappy in how they earn money. That is quite different from saying earning money is a bad thing. Up to you how you choose to interpret it and infer things.
3 & 4 - My point was getting a job you like and earning lots of money are not always compatible.
5 - Never said there wasn't did I? You'll find most high earners do indeed work long hours in stressful jobs.
6 - Discover for yourself.
7 - In your opinion.

so you have no actual proof/documentation/anecdotes about poor people being happiest...

Have you ever lived in a really rock bottome family? poor people are the unhappiest angriest people. that shit about poor people being happy because they don't need money and acheive happiness from lifes "simple pleasures" is just a middle class fantasy and something poor people try telling themselves so life doesn't seem quite as shit.

also the majority of people i know on $150k+ P.A. don't work particularly hard and are often creatives in ad firms, work in television/radio or are property developers.
most "live life to teh full" and are usually very happy.
same with all the more successful lawyers i've been aqquainted with.

Money might not directly equate to happiness, but it certainly provides the means to attain a high level of happiness/contentedness.

you are in a country that has such high welfare payments that it is almost impossible to acheive real poverty...

from an impoverished persons view point, access to money woul provide increased welfare andhappiness, but the law of diminishing returns and once you have all you need to be happy extra money won't make you happier.

I said some - just to re-iterate some, not all - of the world's poorest people were amongst the world's happiest. It's all relative - obviously someone who is homeless and starving is not going to be overjoyed are they? So yes, of course many poor people are unhappy. I never argued differently. People who would be classed as poor in Western terms, may be happier, as they are not as materialistic, consumerist and shallow. They don't put so much importance in the pursuit of 'possessions'.

Not all poor people are unhappy. Ditto, not all rich people are happy.

My family background is of no concern to you, and anyhow it makes no difference to my views on this.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 3 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum